MOSCOW, September 26 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko) – A criminal case against Sergei Fedotov, general director of the Russian Authors’ Society (RAO) who stands charged with large scale fraud, has been transferred from the Interior Ministry to the Investigative Committee for inquiry, Kommersant newspaper reported on Monday.

According to the newspaper, this decision may be connected with the fact that Fedotov, who had earlier denied his guilt, suddenly signed a plea bargain.

Fedotov’s attorney Denis Baluyev refused to give RAPSI formal confirmation of this information.

According to investigators, employees of the Interior Ministry and the Federal Security Service (FSB) revealed fraud scheme over illegal alienation of RAO’s property. Damage to the RAO’s property amounted to 500 million rubles ($7.8 mln).

In July, Fedotov was charged with commission of large scale fraud.

Baluyev insists that his client is a victim of calumniation.

The Russian Authors’ Society is a non-governmental organization created in 1993 for collective management of author’s rights. At this moment over 25,000 people are listed as its members.